1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for processing an image. For example, the present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for processing an image to detect or detect and correct an image area including a defective color tone of an eye.
2. Description of the Related Art
Defective color tone of an eye caused by the use of flashlight of a camera in image processing is known as a red-eye phenomenon. The red-eye phenomenon is a phenomenon in which, when animals, such as human beings, dogs and cats, are photographed using flashlight in a dark environment, the flashlight incident in an open pupil is reflected on the eye fundus and capillary vessels there shine red.
Then, a method for correcting a defective color tone of the eye caused by the use of flashlight of a camera has been proposed (see PCT Japanese Translation Patent Publication No. 2010-520567).
In PCT Japanese Translation Patent Publication No. 2010-520567, candidates of areas of a red-eye phenomenon are detected first. The red-eye candidates are then analyzed in accordance with the position and the direction of a face, and the red-eye candidates are narrowed down in consideration of appropriateness regarding the red-eye candidates being located at the position of the eye and red-eye correction is performed.
However, the method described in PCT Japanese Translation Patent Publication No. 2010-520567 has the following problem: if the position of the red-eye candidate is appropriate as the position of the eye, the red-eye candidate is determined as the red-eye and red-eye correction is performed, whereby all the red colored objects located near the eye will be corrected. For example, when a part of eyeglasses or a part of eyeglass frame shines red, correction may be made.